Multiple driver tool

ABSTRACT

A multiple driver tool having a chamber for holding a plurality of drivers for screws and the like, and a guided slide connected to each driver by means of which the driver can be selectively moved to a passage extending away from an end of the chamber. Guide means in the chamber directs each driver towards and into the passage during movement of that driver, each driver being long enough when in the passage to project beyond the end of the multiple tool.

United States Patent 1 Lemieux [451 Aug. 7, 1973 1 MULTIPLE DRIVER TOOL[76] Inventor: Roland G. Lelnleux, 7655 Kelly Rd,

Prince George, British Columbia, Canada [22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1971 [21]Appl. N0.: 179,840

[52] US. Cl. 145/64, 401/31 [51] Int. Cl. B25g 1/08, 843k 27/14 [58]Field of Search 145/62, 63, 64, 50 C;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1956 Rundle 145/63 10/1961Dye ..,145/63 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 10/1940 Germany 401/31Primary Examiner--Robert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner-Mark S. BicksAttorney-Fetherstonhaugh & Co.

1 ABSTRACT A multiple driver tool having a chamber for holding aplurality of drivers for screws and the like, and a guided slideconnected to each driver by means of which the driver can be selectivelymoved to a passage extending away from an end of the chamber. Guidemeans in the chamber directs each driver towards and into the passageduring movement of that driver, each driver being long enough when inthe passage to project beyond the end of the multiple tool.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures minnows mu SHEEI 1 [IF '2 PAIENIED SHEEI 2(IF 2 1 MULTIPLE DRIVER TOOL This invention relates toa multiple toolparticularly for drivers used in connection with screws and the like,but which may also be used with other types of small tools that usuallycome in sets. The driver tool includes screwdrivers having blades,Robertson, Phillips and/or Allen ends, or blades or ends of these typesof different sizes. However, it may include other tools of the type thatproject from handles.

Many workmen, such as carpenters, electricians, cabinet makers and thelike, usually require screwdrivers of different sizes and differenttypes. This means that the workman is constantly looking for dif ferentdrivers, and even if he has all sizes and types in a bag with his othertools, he still has to look for the one required at the moment. Thisresults in a great deal of frustration and wasted time. In addition, hemust have available numerous tools ready for driving screws, and thisrepresents considerable expense in buying the tools and in replacinglost tools.

The present invention provides a multiple tool containing a plurality ofdrivers of different types and sizes. This is not as costly as havingmany different tools, and the individual drivers are always immediatelyand readily available. The multiple tool greatly reduces the ordinarywastage of time and the frustrations involved.

A multiple driver tool according to the present invention comprises ahousing, a chamber connected to an inner end of the housing, a passagein and extending longitudinally of the housing and having one endopening out from an outer end thereof and an opposite end communicatingwith the chamber, a plurality of drivers in the chamber normallyextending generally towards the passage, a guided slide connected toeach driver for moving the latter longitudinally of the chamber andhousing, and guide means in the chamber for directing each drivertowards and into the passage when the slide of said driver is movedtowards the operative end of the housing, each driver being long enoughwhen in the passage to project beyond the housing outer end.As statedabove, the drivers in the chamber of the multiple tool may be ordinaryblade screwdrivers of different sizes and/or different types of drivers,such as the Robertson, Phillips and Allen drivers.

A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the multiple drivertool with all of the individual tools retracted therein,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I but with a driver projecting from theend of the multiple tool,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the several individual driverswith the slide arrangement thereof, with the chamber and housingremoved,

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a similar sectional view taken substantially at right anglesto the section of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one of the individual drivers with itsslide, and the connecting means therebetween.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a multiple driver tool in accordancewith the present invention which consists ofa housing 11 and a chamber12. In this example, the chamber is formed within a portion of thehousing, although they could be two separate units connected together.Housing 11 preferably tapers down to an outer end 15, while chamber 12opens outwardly at 16 at the end of the housing remote from the end 15.

A passage 20 is formed in and extends longitudinally of housing 11 andhas one end opening out from the outer end 15 of the housing, and anopposite end communicating with the chamber 12 centrally of the adjacentend thereof. A plurality of individual drivers or tools are positionedwithin chamber 12 and are preferably arranged around a longitudinalcenterline 22 which is also the central axis of passage 20. In thisexample, there are drivers 25 26, 27, 28 and 29 in the chamber. Driver27 is an ordinary screw-driver blade, while the other drivers areRobertson and Allen drivers of different sizes.

A guide unit 34 is connected to the end of chamber 12 remote fromhousing 11 in any suitable manner. In this example, the guide unit has areduced end 35 which fits into the chamber end, and a plurality ofscrews 36 connect the unit to the chamber wallfThis unit 34 is providedwith a plurality of guide tracks 38 extending longitudinally thereof,there being one of these tracks for each of the driver tools. Each track38 is in the form ofa channel 40 in and extending longitudinally of unit34 and opening out laterally. from the unit by means of a slot 41. Eachof these slots has an enlarged section 42 opening out from the peripheryof unit 34, see FIG. 4. A slide 45 is movably mounted in each trackchannel 40 and has a handle 46 projecting outwardly therefrom in aradial direction through the adjacent slot 41. In this example, eachhandle 46 is in the form of a screw which is threaded into its slide 45,and the head 47 of each screw is located within the enlarged section 42of the adjacent slot 41 so that the head does not project beyond thesurface of unit 34. A cap 48 is secured to the outer end of the guideunit by a screw 49 in order removably to close the outerends of channels40.

A suitable connector 50 connects each slide 45 to one of the drivers25-29. This connector must be comparatively stiff but still must bebendable. In this example, each connector 50 comprises a tube formed ofa spirally-wound strip of material, such as metal or suitable plastic.This provides a comparatively rigid but bendable connector. Eachconnector 50 is fixedly connected at 51 to the inner end of its driver,and at its opposite end fits into its slide 45 where it is secured byhandle screw 46. This arrangement enables slide 45 to be adjustedlongitudinally of the connector. When the slides 45 are positioned nearthe outer end of guide unit 34, the drivers 25-29 are completely withinchamber 12. Suitable means is provided for guiding each of these driversinto passage 20 when the slide of that driver is moved forwardly of themultiple tool. This is accomplished by providing an annular wall 54within chamber 12 at the end thereof adjacent passage 20. This annularwall tapers inwardly to the inner end of the passage so that when anyone of the drivers is moved forwardly of the chamber, its outer end isguided into the inner end of passage 20. Continued movement of theselected driver causes the latter to project outwardly from the outerend 15 of housing 11, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6,

driver 27 being shown in this position. The selected driver is movedoutwardly in this manner by moving its slide 45 by means of the handle46 thereof longitudinally of unit 34. The rigidity of connector 50 makesthis possible, while the flexibility of the connector allows the outerend of the selected driver to ride along the conical wall 54 and intopassage 20.

A latch 58 is provided for releasably securing each of the drivers 25-29in passage 20. In this example, latch 58 is in the form of a plunger 60mounted in a radial passage 61 in housing 11, and opening into passage20. The plunger is biased towards the passage by a spring 62. Plunger 60has a lug 65 projecting from its inner end which is adapted to fit intoan annular notch 66 formed in each of the drivers. This lug locks eachdriver in the passage when said driver has reached its operativeposition.

Plunger 60 is retracted out of the passage by means of a lever 70swingably mounted on a pin 71 carried by plunger 60. This lever extendsoutwardly through a slot 73 formed in and extending longitudinally ofhousing 11, and the lever rests against a fulcrum point 74 formed at thebottom of said slot. The outer end of lever 70 is located within adepression 75 formed in the outer surface of the housing at slot 73.Spring 62 normally biases the plunger towards the passage, and when theouter end of lever 70 is depressed, it pivots about fulcrum 74 andwithdraws the plunger from passage 20 against the pressure of spring 62.Lug 65 has an inclined surface 76 facing chamber 12 so that when one ofthe drivers is moved along passage 20, it engages this inclined surface76 and shifts plunger 60 out of the way. When recess 66 reaches theplunger, lug 65 drops into this recess to lock the driver in place.

It is preferable to bias each driver so that when it is released byplunger lug 65, the driver will be automatically withdrawn from passage20. For this purpose, a spring 79 is provided on each connector 50 andextends between slide 45 thereof and a shoulder 80 in the adjacentchannel 40, see FIG. 6. Thus, when slide 45 is moved to shift the driverconnected thereto into the passage, spring 79 is compressed, and is heldin this state by latch 58. When the latch is operated to release thedriver, spring 79 asserts itself to shift its slide 45 back to theouterend of the slide track, thereby withdrawing the driver from the passage20.

Suitable means is provided for preventing each driver from rotating whenit is latched in passage 20. Each of the drivers 25 to 29 is providedwith one or more radial keys 85 on its inner end which move into slots87 formed in housing 11 and extending parallel to passage 20. Theseslots 87 open laterally into the passage so that when one of the driversis moved into and along the passage, the keys 85 thereof enter slots 87,and this prevents the driver from rotating in passage 20 when themultiple tool is turned around its longitudinal axis during a screwingoperation.

The operation of multiple tool 10 is quite simple. It

is normally carried around with its individual drivers 25 to 29retracted in chamber 12, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. When a desireddriver is required, such as for example, driver 27, the handle 46 of theslide of that driver is moved longitudinally of the multiple tool. Thisshifts driver 27 into passage 20, and the movement is continued untillatch 58 engages notch 66 of the driver, spring 79 being compressed atthis time, as shown in FIG. 6. Tool 10 can now be operated as anordinary screwdriver. Housing 11 or slide unit 34 is grasped in the samemanner as the handle of an ordinary screw-driver. When driver 27 is nolonger required, lever-: is depressed to cause latch 58 to release thedriver, at which time spring 79 movesslide 45 towards the outer end ofthe tool so as to draw the driver 27 back into chamber 12. Thus, any oneof the drivers 25 to 29 can be very quickly and easily moved into andout of its operative position projecting from the end of multiple tool10. When it is desired to replace any one of the drivers, it is onlynecessary to remove cap 48 so that the driver can be withdrawn from theslide unit, and another one inserted therein. Thus each individualdriver is readily available, and no time or energy is lost in trying tofind the appropriate driver for a given job. While five drivers havebeen illustrated in chamber 12, it is obvious that there may be more orfewer of these drivers as desired.

I claim:

1. A multiple driver tool comprising a housing, a chamber connected toan inner end of the housing, a passage in and extending longitudinallyof the housing and having one end opening out from an outer end thereofand an opposite end communicating with the chamber, a guide unit alignedwith and extending away from the opposite end of the chamber, aplurality of driver tools in the chamber normally extending generallytowards said passage, said tools being arranged around a centerlineextending longitudinally of the passage and the chamber, a plurality ofguide channels in and extending longitudinally of said guide unit andopening out laterally throughout the lengths thereof in slots, saidchannels communicating with the chamber, a slide mounted in each of saidchannels for reciprocal movement therealong there being a slide for eachtool, a handle on each slide and projecting through the adjacentchannel'slot, comparatively stiff but bendable connecting means slidablymounted within and surrounded by each guide channel and connected at oneend to the slide of the latter channel and at an opposite end to one ofthe tools in the chamber, each channel preventing the connecting meanstherein from bending, an annular wall in the chamber at one end thereofextending towards and tapering inwardly to said opposite end of thepassage communicating with the chamber, said annular wall directing eachtool towards and into the passage when the slide connected to said'eachtool through one of said connecting means is moved towards the outer endof the housing, each tool being long enough when in the passage toproject beyond the housing outer end, latching means for releasablysecuring each tool in the passage, holding means for preventing eachtool in the passage from rotating relative to the housing, and means forbiasing each too] out of the passage when said each tool isreleased bysaid securing means.

2. A multiple tool as claimed in claim 1 in which each tool has a notchtherein, and said latching means comprises a plunger radially mounted inthe housing and biased to move into said passage and to fit into thenotch of a tool in the passage, and handle means connected to theplunger and projecting from the housing, said handle means beingoperable to move the plunger to free the tool in the passage.

3. A multiple tool as claimed in claim 1 in which said holding meanscomprises at least one key on each tool and extending longitudinallythereof, and at least one slot in the housing extending beside thepassage and opening laterally thereinto and opening at one end into thechamber, said slot being adapted to receive the key of a tool as thelatter is moved into the passage.

4. A multiple tool as claimed in claim 1 including means releasablysecuring each slide to the connecting means thereof.

5. A multiple driver tool comprising a housing, a chamber connected toan inner end of the housing, a passage in and extending longitudinallyof the housing and having one end opening out from an outer end thereofand an opposite end communicating with the chamber, a plurality ofdriver tools in the chamber normally extending generally towards saidpassage, each tool having a notch therein, a guided slide connected toeach tool for moving the latter longitudinally of the chamber andhousing, guide means in the chamber for directing each tool towards andinto the passage when the slide of said each tool is moved towards theoperative end of the housing, each tool being long enough when in thepassage to project beyond the housing outer end, and latching means forreleasably securing each tool in the passage, said latching meanscomprising a plunger radially mounted in; the housing and biased to moveinto said passage and to fit into the notch of a tool in the passage,and handle means connected to the plunger and projecting from thehousing, said handle means being operable to move the plunger to freethe tool in the passage.

1. A multiple driver tool comprising a housing, a chamber connected toan inner end of the housing, a passage in and extending longitudinallyof the housing and having one end opening out from an outer end thereofand an opposite end communicating with the chamber, a guide unit alignedwith and extending away from the opposite end of the chamber, aplurality of driver tools in the chamber normally extending generallytowards said passage, said tools being arranged around a centerlineextending longitudinally of the passage and the chamber, a plurality ofguide channels in and extending longitudinally of said guide unit andopening out laterally throughout the lengths thereof in slots, saidchannels communicating with the chamber, a slide mounted in each of saidchannels for reciprocal movement therealong there being a slide for eachtool, a handle on each slide and projecting through the adjacent channelslot, comparatively stiff but bendable connecting means slidably mountedwithin and surrounded by each guide channel and connected at one end tothe slide of the latter channel and at an opposite end to one of thetools in the chamber, each channel preventing the connecting meanstherein from bending, an annular wall in the chamber at one end thereofextending towards and tapering inwardly to said opposite end of thepassage communicating with the chamber, said annular wall directing eachtool towards and into the passage when the slide connected to said eachtool through one of said connecting means is moved towards the outer endof the housing, each tool being long enough when in the passage toproject beyond the housing outer end, latching means for releasablysecuring each tool in the passage, holding means for preventing eachtool in the passage from rotating relative to the housing, and means forbiasing each tool out of the passage when said each tool is released bysaid securing means.
 2. A multiple tool as claimed in claim 1 in whicheach tool has a notch therein, and said latching means comprises aplunger radially mounted in the housing and biased to move into saidpassage and to fit into the notch of a tool in the passage, and handlemeans connected to the plunger and projecting from the housing, saidhandle means being operable to move the plunger to free the tool in thepassage.
 3. A multiple tool as claimed in claim 1 in which said holdingmeans comprises at least one key on each tool and extendinglongitudinally thereof, and at least one slot in the housing extendingbeside the passage and opening laterally thereinto and opening at oneend into the chamber, said slot being adapted to receive the key of atool as the latter is moved into the passage.
 4. A multiple tool asclaimed in claim 1 including means releasably securing each slide to theconnecting means thereof.
 5. A multiple driver tool comprising ahousing, a chamber connected to an inner end of the housing, a passagein and extending longitudinally of the housing and having one endopening out from an outer end thereof and an opposite end communicatingwith the chamber, a plurality of driver tools in the chamber normallyextending generally towards said passage, each tool having a notchtherein, a guided slide connected to each tool for moving the latterlongitudinally of the chamber and housing, guide means in the chamberfor directing each tool towards and into the passage when the slide ofsaid each tool is moved towards the operative end of the housing, eachtool being long enough when in the passage to project beyond the housingouter end, and latching means for releasably securing each tool in thepassage, said latching means comprising a plunger radialLy mounted inthe housing and biased to move into said passage and to fit into thenotch of a tool in the passage, and handle means connected to theplunger and projecting from the housing, said handle means beingoperable to move the plunger to free the tool in the passage.